Yarn dyeing device



March 1l, 1958 J. E. TROY v13,826,058

` YARN DYEING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16,A 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L VA mous Y COLORS QOLORS ELECTRIC DRY/N6 HE A TE l? UNIT VA R/OUS GOL ORS TWISTE? FEED ROLL S VAR/ous 00L ons rAxE- uP sPaoL Joseph E. Tray INVENTOR.

BY WM5/4m TW/S TER SPINDLE March 11, 1958l J. E. TROY 2,826,053

' YARN DYEING. DEVICE v Filed Aug. 16, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 4I "6 Ffgz ./pseph E. Troy INVENToR.

United States Patent() YARN DYEING DEVICE Joseph E. Troy, Hickory, N. C. Application August 16, 1955, Serial No. 528,664

' 4 claims. (Cl. ss-zos) This invention relates to coating devices and particularly to a yarn dyeing apparatus.

In the art of packaging yarn, it is customary to draw yarn from a supply, as a spool thereof, through tension devices, sizing or coloring devices, twisting feed rolls and to a take-up which is generally a spool.

An object of the present invention is to provide in such a system an improved dyeing applicator which is rotatable, deriving its rotation from the moving yarn as it passes over dye impregnatedpads on the surface of the dye ap plicator.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide a dye applicator having outwardly opening pockets in its freely rotatable body, there being pads disposed in each of the pockets and there being various colored dye reservoirs in communication with the pockets so that the pads are maintained in a continually impregnated condition, whereby upon rotation of the body in response to the yarn being drawn over and against the pads of the body, dye is imparted to the yarn in a positive contacting action, as opposed to a wiping or rubbing action.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved valve control system for regulating the issue of dye from the reservoirs to the pad pockets, which valve control system is operable by manipulation of a single control element to adjust all of the Valves simultaneously.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a schematic view of a system in which the invention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the dye application;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a dyed yarn fragment which is made in accordance with the principles of the invention.

The system disclosed in Figure l is of the multiple yarn supply type having yarn supplies and 12 consisting of spools from which yarn 14 and 16 is being drawn. The yarn extends over guides 18 and 20 and through washboard tension guides 22 and 24 and alignment guides 26 and 28. A final guide 30 is used to bring the yarn 14 and 16 together before it passes through the drying unit 32 which may be a standard type electric or gas heater. Thereafter, the yarn 14 and 16 extends to a twister feed roll assembly 34 where it is twisted to yarn 104 prior to feeding it to twister ring 36 located on the yarn take-up which is preferably in the form of a spool 38. This yarn take-up is actuated by twister spindle 40 that is actuated by a belt 42 or similar drive. The units described above '2,826,058 Patented Mar. 11, 1958 are standard, although the arrangement is typical of the type of system in which the invention is operable and of which the invention constitutes a part.

interposed in the system at an appropriate place, for example, between the washboard guides and tensioning devices 22 and 24 and the aligning guides 26 and 28, are dye applicators 42 and 44, respectively. Dye applicater 42 for the yarn 14 and dye applicator 44 for the yarn 16 are mounted respectively on their spindles 46 and 48, spindle 46 being swingable to a generally horizontal position on pivot 50, while spindle 48 is swingable on pivot 52 to a similar position for the purpose of iilling the various reservoirs in each applicator.

Attention is invited primarily to Figures 2-4 wherein the dye applicator 42 is shown in detail. It comprises a body 54 having a central bore 58 in which the outer end of spindle 46 is mounted. Sleeve bearing 60 is disposed at one end of bore 58 while an anti-friction ballbearing 62 is disposed at the opposite end of the spindle and located in a ballbearing race seat 64 formed in the bore 58. This mounts the body 54 of the dye applicator 42 for free rotation, which rotation is imparted to the body through the motion of the yarn 14 as it is being Withdrawn from the supply 10 to the take-up 38.

There are outwardly opening pockets 66, 67, 68 and 69, respectively, in body 54, and they are arranged in a generally circular configuration about the periphery of the body. Absorbent, as felt, pads 70, 71, 72 and 73, respectively, are disposed in the pockets and they accept dye from the pockets in order to impart the same on the yarn which bears on the pads as the yarn is pulled from the supply 10 to the take-up 38 and as it remains in contact with the pads, imparting rotation to body 54 as it does so. At least one wall of each pocket, as wall 74 of pocket 67, is tapered outwardly and the pad 71 is forced thereinto. In this way, the pad is held captive with the body.

Four reservoirs, such as those at 75 and 76 are provided, there being one reservoir for each pocket. A valve chamber is formed in the body 54 for each reservoir, there being chambers 77, 78, 79 and Si), respectively, and there is a passageway 81 communicating chamber 77 with pocket 66. Passageway 82 connects chamber 78 with pocket 67, passageway 83 connects chamber 79 with pocket 68, and finally, passageway 84 connects the valve chamber S0 with the pad accommodating pocket 69. A separate vented iiller cap is used for each reservoir, there being caps 85, 86, 87 and 88, respectively. These caps are suitably carried by the body 54 as being threaded thereinto.

individual valve means for each pocket are carried by body 54. Valve means 89 in valve chamber 78 typies the others which are identical thereto. Valve means 89 comprises an insert 91 disposed in the valve chamber and having a passage 92 which is controlled by the valve head 93. Shank 94 extends from tapered head 93 and has a washer 95 secured thereto, as being threaded thereon. Yielding means constantly biasing the valve to the open position are disposed on the shank 94 and comprise preferably a spring 96 which seats and reacts on washer 95 and also on a wall of the spring cage 97 threaded in one end of the valve chamber 78.

Means for actuating all of the valves in unison and the same amount are provided on the body 54. The preferred means consists of a cap 98 threaded on the reduced end 99 of the body 54 and :on which the outer ends of the Shanks of each valve seat. When the cap 98 is rotated, the valves are opened or closed by either pushing the valve shanks inwardly of the body 54 or permitting the springs which react thereon to withdraw them slightly therefrom, This action allows more `or less "ice dye from the reservoirs to enter the pockets in which the (one or more reservoirs may be left dry preserving the natural color of the yarn at spaced intervals :on the yarn) heat is applied to the applicators if necessary. Certain dyes require the application 0f heat to have them ilow freely and for this reason burners 190 and 1G23 are schematically illustrated in Figure 1.

Yarn 14 and 16 is threaded throughout the varietes parts, shown inFigure l, and the slack take-up spool is set in motion. The yarn is drawn through the tension devices 22 and 24 and against the outer surfaces of the dye applicators 42 and 44. Specifically they are drawn over the pads and itis by this drawing movement of yarn over the surface of the applicators that the dye applicators derive their motion. As the yarn 14 and 16 moves beyond the applicators 42 and 44 and becomes dried, it is in condition to be twisted by the assembly of twister feed rolls and wound around twister ring 36 for accumulation on the take-up spool 33. An illustration of the variegated colored yarn 104 which is formed by use of this general organization, as shown in Figure 5.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous `modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

For example, the applicator may be used in single end `or multiple end dyeing. Additionally, it can be used for applying oil to the fibers.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A dye applicator comprising a body, said body having a plurality of reservoirs therein, each reservoir having a closure connected to it for individual illing, said body having valve chambers, one valve chamber being in communication with each reservoir, a Valve located in each valve chamber, a laterally arranged passageway communicating with each valve chamber, said body having outwardly opening pockets in the periphery thereof and in communicationwith said passagew-ays, and mechanical means carried by -said body and operatively Iconnected with each valve for Lsimultaneously and equally adjusting the extent of the opening and closing of all of said valves.

2. Adye applicator`- comprising a body, said body having a plurality of reservoirs, said body having valve chambers, one valve chamber being in coaxial communication with each reservoir, a valve located in each valve chamber, a laterally arranged passageway communicating with each valve chamber, said body having outwardly opening pockets in thev periphery thereof and in conimnnication with said passageways, means for simultaneously adjusting each of said valves, said means including` a -cap adjustably carried by said body, said Valves having valve stems, Whose outer ends are in contact with said cap so that said stems are displaced in response to adjustment of said cap on said body, and resilient means constantly urging said valve stems in a valve opening direction.

3. A dye applicator comprising a body, a bearing in said body with which to mount said body for rotation, said body havingV a plurality of discrete reservoirs in order to contain dyes of selected colors, valve chambers in said body, 'said valve chambers and reservoirs being coaxially arranged in said body, valve seats'located in each of said valve chambers and communicating said valve chambers with said reservoirs, valve members having heads and stems, one of said valve members being located in each of said valve chambers with its head adapted to engage its valve seat, resilient means arranged in each valve chamber and engaged with the valve stems to constantly bias said valve members in the valve closing position, means connected with said resilient means 'for adjusting the bias of said resilient means, lateral passageways in said body that are in registry with said valve chambers, absorbent pads, said body having recesses in the sides thereof which are in registry with said passageways, said pads being disposed in said recesses, and means carried by said body for simultaneously and equally adjusting each of said valves.

4. The dye applicator of claim 3 wherein said valve adjusting means comprise a cap which is threaded on said body, and said stems seating on said cap so that said stems are axially moved in response to rotation ot said cap on said body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 871,376 Sulzbach Nov. 19, 1907 1,038,265 Baker Sept. 10, 1912 1,328,435 Krasa Jan. 20, 1920 1,415,964 Thompson May 16, 1922 V1,802,602 vHellweg Apr. 28, 1931 1,940,749 Gwaltney Dec. 26, 1933 2,654,342 Marriott Oct. 6, 1953 

